Freight container



May 10, 1932. J. F. MCGINNESS 1,857,468

' FREIGHT CONTAINER Filed March 25, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Y i W 1 AT ORNEY y 10, 1932- J..F. MCGINNESS 1,857,468

FREIGHT CONTAINER Filed March 25, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JmflMdms,

. by the latter.

Patented May It), 1932 JAMES F. MCGINNESS, OF SPRING VALLEY, YORK FREIGHT CONTAINER Application filed March 25, 1931. Serial no. 525,124.

My present inventionrelates generally to containers, and has particularreference to a container designed for the accommodation of railroad freight.

In the shipment and transportation of. freight, in less than carload lots, many costly and time-consuming obstacles and disadvantages are encountered because of the necessity for completely unloading a freight car at a yard or dock or similar terminal, and thereupon reloading the numerous items of freight onto motor trucks f6r final delivery One of the main objects of my present invention is to provide an'improved freight container whose employment obviates these difficulties and thereby greatly reduces the cost of transportation.

The type of container to which my invention has particular reference is of the general character describedand illustrated in my co-pending a plication for United States Letters Patent erial Number 500,720, and consists essentially of a unitary box or container which is adapted to be handled as a unit in applying it or removing it onto or off a freight car or truck. Thus, a freight container of the present character may be originally packed by a shipper or group of shippers, and may thereafter be transported as a unit by railroad and/or motor vehicle to its ultimate destinations, no unloading or unpacking of the container being involved during its complete trasnsportation from shipper to consignee.

A more specific object of my present inven-' tion is to provide a container of improved characteristics and embodying a number of novel and advantageous structural features, whereby the contemplated employment of such containers is rendered morehighly efficient and expeditious:

One of the most important objects of my present invention is to provide a container which is so constructed that it may be adapt-.-

ed normally and under certain desired circumstances to rest firmly and immovably upon a floor or platform, such as upon a railroad flat car or upon thesubstantially flat body of a truck; whereasat desired times it may be expeditiously modified or adjusted'so as to permit the same to be rolled from place to place.

More particularly, it is an object of my V present invention to facilitate the handling of containers of the foregoing character by enabling the same to be supported u'pon rollers, whenever desired, whereby the containers mayilfor example, be rolled onto and off a of freig t cars or the like, and onto or off trucks. Similarly, the capability of rolling w i the containers facilitates the handling thereof at intermediate stages of transportation,

for example, zit-terminals, yards, andthe 1 e l .1 f

A further object of my invention lies in 3 providing a container embodying the forego ing general advantages, wherein the transformation'of the container from a flat-bottomed, substantially immovable mass or weight into one which is mounted upon rollers, and the reverse transformation, may be accomplished in an extremely simple and expeditious manner necessitating nothing more than a. single adjustment of a control member, such as a rotatable shaft, which procedure may in most cases be performed manually. and within only a few minutes.

A particular feature of my invention lies in providing a container wherein a base is nomally adapted to support the container so upon a floor in a substantially immovable manner, and wherein a series of rollers are associated with the base in normally inoperative positions above the floor level, the rollers being adjustable in a novel and uniquel efficient manner whereby they may be a justed' or wedged downwardly at redetermined times to assume the supporto the container.

.Another feature of myvinvention lies in providing an arrangement of the foregoing general character, wherein all the adjustable and operative parts are effectually concealed from view and protected from the likelihood of damage or injury. More particularly, the rollers and theoperative' mechanism therefor are arranged in a novel manner within the confines of the container baseand underneath the latter. In this way, the container is devoid of objectionable projections and por- 1 i for use with an agricultural implement and a wagon}, in conjunction with a tractor, but

. a corn harvester and a wagon, which are illustrated by way of example. The corn harvester is illustrated semi-diagrammatically and comprises a laterally extending elevator 1, which serves to discharge the ears of corn, which have been removed from the stalks and husked in a known manner, into the Wagon W. A draft member 2 extends forwardly from the harvester and is secured there to, at 3 and 4, in a. suitable manner. At its forward end, the member 2 is pivoted to drawbar 5 of the tractor on a horizontal axis, in a suitable manner as by means of a pin 6 passing through the forward end of member 2 and through a loop 7 at the rearward end of the draw bar, this loop being normally closed by a bolt 8.

The draw-bar is pivotally secured to tractor T at its forward end, at 9, and is secured to a U-shaped rack 10 carried by the tractor. This rack is provided with a plurality of spaced openings by means of which the drawbar may be adjustably secured to the rack by inserting a pin through an opening in the bar and through a selected opening of the rack. The manner of securing the draw-bar to the tractor is known in the art and need not be illustrated nor described in greater detail.

The members 2 and 5 provide a direct draw connection between the harvester H and the tractor.

The draft member 2 is of triangular shape and comprises angle side rails 11 and 12 connected adjacent thier forward ends by a plate 13. These rails are connected by trusses and gusset plates, certain of these trusses, designated 14 and 15 being secured to a triangular gusset plate 16' which is suitably secured to rail 11 and projects laterally and outwardly beyond this rail. As will be noted more clearly from Figure 3, the outer portion of gusset plate 16 is bent downwardly and then outwardly to provide an L-shaped bracket 17, the lower horizontal arm of which is disposed appreciably below the body portion of plate 16.

A diagonal structure 18 extends forward- 1y from the draft member 2 and has its forward end suitably, connected to steering tongue 19 of the wagon. This diagonal structure comprises a beam 20 which is pivotally mounted, at its rearward end, on the horizontal arm of bracket 17 by means of a pivot bolt 21 which passes through the terminal portions of straps 22 suitably shaped and secured about the end portion of beam 20 at the upper and lower faces thereof.

Beam 20 is thus mounted, at its rearward end, in such manner as to be capable of being swung about the pivot bolt 21 into the dotted line position of Figure 1, in which position this beam extends across member 2 and beneath the same, and is disposed in substantial alignment with the harvester H.

An extension member 23 is pivotally secured on a vertical axis to beam 20 adjacent the forward end thereof, by a pivot bolt 24. Referring more particularly to Figures 4, 5 and 6, this member comprises upper and lower arms 25 and 26, respectively, whichmay conveniently be formed of suitable lengths of strap metal, each of these arms being provided with an angular-1y disposed and rearwardly extending element 27. In the operative position of the extension member 23, the element 27 extends lengthwise of beam 20 at the upper and lower faces thereof. These elements are connected at their rearward end, by a stirrup 28 which fits about the rearward portion of beam 20 and serves to prevent rearward turning movement of the extension member about bolt 24 beyond operative position. The outer end portion of arms 25 and 26 are slightly offset to extend above and beneath the tongue 19 in contact therewith, as in Figure 4. A bolt 29 extends through the arm and a sleeve spacer 30 is disposed about this bolt and serves to properly space the outer ends of the arm for reception therebetween of the tongue.

The arms are provided, at their outer ends, with a series of aligned openings 31 for reception of a pin 32 provided at its upper end with an angularly disposed stop finger. This provides means for adjusting the pin to correspond to the width of the portion of the tongue 19 to which the member 23 is attached.

A clevis 33 is bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the forward end of the beam 20. A brace rod 34: is suitably secured to the forward arm of clevis 33. which is extended for this purpose. The other end of this rod is secured to a. strap 35 which fits about the rearward end of beam 20 and is suitably secured thereto as by means of a bolt 36. A turnbuckle 37 is provided in the rod 34 for tensioning the same. At a point disposed forwardly of turnbuckle 37, rod 34 ,passes between two fingers 38a of a pair of plates 38 which seat on thenpper and under faces of beam 20. the fingers being seen red together by a bolt 39. The rod 3% is under tension and serves to brace the beam 20 against rear ward stresses in a known manner.

' A strap 40' extends forwardly from beam 20 and is secured, at its forward end, to a draft link 41, by m ans of a bolt 12. The link 41 is provided with a longitudinal series of openings 43 for reception of the bolt, and this link is also provided, at its rearward end portion, with a second longitudinally extending series of openings 44 for reception of ure 2 must be provided for in such a manner as not to interfere with the otherstructural parts and elements hereinafter to be described in reater detail.

In accor ance with my present invention, I provide at least one substantially horizontal truss or framework in association with the base and in such a manner that the samemay be shiftable in a substantially horizontal plane. For example, at the right of Figure 2 I have shown a truss composed of the two parallel and spaced transverse members 28 and 29 which are connected together not only by means of the two obliquely arranged angles 30 and 31, which lie on top of the members 28 and 29, but also by means of the angles 32 and 33 which lie underneath the members 28 and 29.

The member 28 projects at its opposite ends through the channels 13 and 14, respectively, and for this purpose the channel 13 is provided with the slot 34; and the channel 14' is provided with a similar slot. To facilitate the sliding movement of the member 28 in these slots, each of the latter is provided with an angle such as that shown at 35 in Figure 4.

The member 29 extends at its opposite ends through the channels 13 and 14 in a similar manner, and for this purpose the channel 13 is provided with the slot 36 adjacent to which is a guide angle 37, the channel 14 being similarly constructed.

At its opposite ends, the member 28 is provided with extensions, preferably, though not nggessarily, in the form of channels which may, for example, be welded or similarly secured to the member 28. For example, at its lower end, as viewed in Figure 2, the member 28 is secured to a channel 38 which extends practically all the way to the opposed channel 12. A similar extension channel 39 is secured to the member 28 at its opposite end, as shown in Figure 2. In a similar manner, the member 29 is provided at one end with the extension channel 40 and at the opposite end with the extension channel 41. Carried by one-end of the channel 38 is a bar 42 which may, for example, be secured to the channel by means of an angle 43 or the like. This bar is arranged in parallel relationship to the channel 13, closely adjacent to the latter, and

extends longitudinally for a considerable distance, preferably for about half the length of the base, as shown most clearly in Figure 2. The bar or angle 42 is attached to the extension channel 40 in the same or in a similar manner, as, for example, by means of the angle 44.

Alt the opposite end of the channel 38 is a similar attachment angle 45 which carries a complementary bar or angle 46 arranged in parallel relationship to the bar 42 and lying closely adjacent and parallel to the channel menace or interiorly threaded bearing 50 upon the midportion of the member 28, a control shaft 51, extending through this bearing and being provided with an exterior thread or worm 52 which engages with the nut 50. The control shaft 51 is preferably journaled, as at 53, in the fixed cross-beam 26 and as at 54, in the fixed end member or beam 1 7. It preferably projects through the member 17 and is provided at its exposed end with a squared portion 55 adapted to receive a suitable tool which'may be used for purposes of rotating the shaft 51.

At its inner end, the shaft 51 is preferably connected, as, for example, by means of a union 56 or the like to a simllar aligned shaft 57 journaled at 58 and 59 in the fixed members 25and 16, respectively, and passing through the member 16 and terminating in a similar squared end 60. For purposes of strength, the shaft 51 may, if desired, be

caused to pass through a sleeve or bearing carried by the loop 29. In Figures 2 and 3, the truss is in its maximum right-hand position, and upon turning the shaft 51 it may be caused to move bodily toward the center of the base, viz., toward the left in Figures 2 and 3. To guide this movement and facilitate the same, the members 42 and 46, and also the members 48 and 49, are provided with guide rollers which bear against the upper flan es of the res ctive channels 12-+-15. In igures 3 an 4, for example, I have shown the bar or angle 42 provided with the rollers 61 and 62 which ride along the interior surface of the upper flange of the channel 13. To facilitate this rolling,'these rollers are slightly beveled so as to conform more readily to the slightly beveled interior face of this flange,

'Adjustably mounted between the bars 42 and 46 are a series of rollers which, in the illustrated embodiment, are three in numor a total of twelve rollers.

The rollers 63--65 are adjustably mounted so that under normal conditions they are accommodated in a retracted or inoperative reher and are designated by the reference nu- B V lationship above the level of the floor upon which the container is adapted to rest. In Figure 1, for example, the rollers 63-65 are shown in their normally inoperative positions, and it will be noted that they are raised by a slight degree above the level of the floor or platform. 10. As a result, in Figure 1, the container is resting directly upon the channels 1215, and, more particularly, upon the lower flanges thereof.

The mounting of these rollers is shown most clearly in Figures 3 and 5. The bar 42 is pivoted, as at 66, 67, and 68 to a corresponding series of links, each of which is pivotally associated at its free or lower end with the corresponding roller. For example, in Figure 3, the link 69, pivoted at its upper end to the bar 42 at 66, is pivoted at its lower end to the roller 63. Similarly, upon viewing Figure 5, it will be noted that the link 70,

pivoted at its upper end, as at 68, to the bar 42, is ivoted at its lower end to the roller 65. ore particularly, it is to be noted that the roller is provided with a central shaft or spindle 71 journaled at one end in. the link and at the other end in the link 72, which is the link corresponding to the link 70 and carried as at 73 by the bar 46. Close toeach end, the shaft 71 is provided with shoes or hubs 74 and 75, and these aligned and spaced hubs carry a length of steel tubing which forms the roller proper. Anti-friction bearings are preferably associated with the hubs of the rollers. Collars 76 and 77 are preferably arranged alongside of each link.

The detailed description of the roller construction of Figure 5 applies to the constructions of all the other rollers of the device.

At its ends, the shaft 71 is provided with the cam follower rollers 78 and 7 9, the follower 78 being adapted to cooperate with the inclined cam member or angle 80 and the follower 79 being adapted to cooperate in a similar manner with a similar camming member or angle 81. The member 80 is carried by the channel 13, while the member 81 is carried by the channel 12.

Underneath the follower 78 I arrange an. opposed and similar inclined guide or camming member 82 which is substantially I parallel to the member 80, and a similar complementary lower cumming member is provided in opposition to the member 81.

Each roller is provided with a similar set of cam followers adapted to cooperate with a similar set of inclined camming members. Thus, in Figure 3, it will be noted that the roller 64 is provided with the cam follower 83 at the end adjacent to the channel 13, and that this roller is adapted to engage with the upper camming member 84 and with the complementarylower member 85. Similarly, the cam follower carried by the roller 63 cooperates with the upper inclined cam mem her or angle 86 and with the complementary opposed angle 87.

Under normal conditions, the links carrying the rollers 63-65 are disposed in the angle relationships shown most clearly in Figure 1, each of the cam followers being disposed at the upper ends of the respective camming members or angles. When the bar 42 is shifted toward the right, as viewed in Figures 1-3, the cam followers are forced into engagement with their respective inclined camming members, and the rollers are thereupon wedged downwardly into the positions of Figure 3. During this procedure, the cam follower of the roller 63 bears against the inclined member 86; the cam follower 83 of the roller 64 bears against the inclined camming member 84; and the cam follower 78 of the roller 65 bears against the inclined camming member 80. The cam followers on the opposite ends of these rollers 63-65 cooperate in a similar manner with the camming members which correspond to the member 81 of Figure 5.

The functions of the lower members 87, 85, and 82, and of all the corresponding lower membersat other portions of the device are twofold, viz., to keep the rollers from falling too far in the event that a depression in the floor may be encountered, and also to facilitate the guidance of the rollers back to their normal inoperative ositions when such upward adjustment is c esired.

In accordance with my invention, the inclinations of the members 86, 84, and 80 are slightly different, the member 86 being more steeply inclined to the horizontal than the others, and the member 80 being at the slightest inclination to the horizontal. As a result of this arrangement, the rollers, when lowered, bear the relationship to the floor line 88 which is. indicated by the dot-anddash line 89'. In other words, the rollers nearer the center of the container are lowered to a greater degree than those farther from the center. As a result, the turning of the container in a lateral direction is greatly facilitated.

More particularly, it will be understood that the other sets of rollers are similarly mounted. For example, the rollers 89, 90,

and 91 are mounted between the bars 48 and 49 in such a manner that when they are lowered, the roller 89 will align with the roller 63, the roller 90 will align with the roller 64, and the roller 91 will align with the roller 65. At the left portion of-the device, the rollers 92, 93, and 94 are mounted between the bars 95 and 96 and the rollers 97, 98, and 99 are mounted between the bars 100 and 101. The

bars 95, 96, 100, and 101 are caused to recip rocate or shift axially, in unison, in the same manner as the bars 48, 49, 42, and 46 are caused to shift, as previously described. The only difference is that while the bars at the 103, the former having the extensions 104 and i 105 and the latter having the extensions 106 and 107. The members 102 and 103 extend through slots in the channels 13 and 14; the

channels 104 and 106 carry the. bars 95 and the container up a sudden incline of considerably 96; and the channels 105 and 107 carry bars 100 and 101.

A traveling nut 108 is carried by the mem-' her 103 and is adapted to engage with the worm thread 109 provided on the shaft 57, this worm being opposite in pitch to that shown at 52.

The operation of the device will be obvious from the description given. Under normal conditions, as hereinbefore mentioned, the container rests upon a floor by having the channels 12-15 in contact with the floor, and

the rollers are held in retracted inoperative positions above the floor level. Under such conditions, the container may be carried in-v definitely upon a freight car or upon a truck, or the like; or it may stand upon any other;

platform, or possibly, upon another and simi- 1 into opposed sections or groups, and, if delar container in stacked relationship. i

l Vhen it is desired to provide the container with rollers, as, for example, when the same is to be rolled sideways off of the freight car and onto a runway or truck, or under other similar circumstances, it is merely necessary to apply a suitable tool to either one or the other squared ends 55 and 60and rotate the control shafts 51 and 57. In the illustrated form, these shafts rotate in unison, but this is not absolutely essential. This rotation causes the bars 46, 42, 49, and 48 to shift axially toward the right, and causes the bars 95, 96, 100, and 101 to shift axially toward the left. This shifting lowers the twelve rollers and causes the latter to assume the support of the entire container.

Because of the variations in roller adjustments, the weight of the container will never .be supported upon more than six rollers or less than four. If the floor is horizontal, the weight will presumably be supported upon the four most central rollers 63, 89, 94, and 99. Another possibility is that the container will rest upon the six rollers 63, 64, 65, 89, 90, and 91; or it may rest upon the six rollers 92, 93, 94, 97, 98, and 99. This irregularity of support is extremely slight, the distance between the roller 65 and the floor, as indicated by the reference numeralllO in Figure 3, being about one-half inch, but it is just sufi'icient to facilitate turning and maneuvering of the entire container.

A further advantage of mypresent construction lies in the facility with which the container may be rolled along surfaces which are not strictly horizontal. The design herein illustrated has been computed and laid out for permitting movement of the container on an incline up {co-30 from the horizontal, this being most clearly illustrated at the right of Figure 3, wherein it will be noted that an upward incline toward the right of 30 from the point of-contact of the roller .65 with the floor will clear not only the exposed edge or corner 111 of the channel 13 but also the outermost exposed corner 112 of the member 17. In endeavoring to move the sired to meet specialized requirements. 4 It will be noted that in the construction thus far illustrated two entirely separate trusses and two entirely separate sets of roll- 1 ers have been provided, and the purpose of this arrangement will now be obvious because it is the positioningof the outermost rollers as close as possible to the lateral sides of the container which permits and facilitates the movement of the container alon inclines and over obstacles or irregularitles in the floor. Obviously, however, it is not absolutely essential that the rollers be divided sired, the entire series of rollers might be caused to function in unison in one or the other direction.

In Figures 6-9, for example, I have illustrated a modification in which ten rollers are caused to move in unison. Four channels 113, 114, 115, and 116 are provided in'spaced l engage over the spindles corresponding to that shown at 123 in Figure 7 and these recesses define inclined cam members or surfaces, as shown at 126.

A similar. bar 127 is mounted alongside of and adjacent to the channel 114, and other corresponding bars 128 and 129 are mounted adjacent to the channels 115 and 116.-

When these barsare reciprocated by W425... suitable means, as,for'exarnple b means of ashiftable truss arrangement similar to that shown in Figure 2, the cainming surfaces 126 bear against their corresponding shafts or spindles and force the rollers downwardly.

direction will simultaneously effect a. corre-' sponding axial adjustment of all of the camming bars. K

In Figures 8 and 9, I have shown the manner in which the operation above described results in shifting the roller 122, for example, from a 'normaLretracted, inoperative. position into a lowered, operative relationship with respect to the main channels.

To further facilitate the movements of the container, I prefer to provide links or loops 130 and 131 at opposite sides of the container, and, preferably, in adjacence to the ends and of the control shaft or shafts. These members are normally disposed in a vertical relationship, protected by the flanges of the channel members 16 and 17, and incidentally serving to protect the squared ends 55 and 60 from accidental encounter. tainer has been mounted upon the rollers, it is 'arelatively simple matter to engage either the loop 130 or the looop 131, as, for example, by means of a hook or a cable or the like, and thereupon exert the desired pulling force upon the container.

In general, it will be understood that the possible variations of structure are manifold,

and that while I have specifically described one particular type of construction which has proven satisfactory and preferable, neverthe-- less I do not mean to restrict myself to this particular structure or arrangement of parts except in so far as I may be compelled to do so by prior art of which I am not now aware. In general, it will be obvious that changes in the details herein described and illustrated for the purpose of explaining the nature of my invention may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as ex ressed in the appended claims. It is there ore intended that these details be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

Having'thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a freight container of the character described, a base normall Y in contact. with the floor for supporting sa1d container thereon, adjustable rollers associated with said After the conbase and normally positioned inoperatively above the floor level, a shiftable actuating bar mounted on said base, a rotatable control shaft, transmission means including a worm and nut between said'shaft and said bar so that rotation of the shaft will shift said bar, and means operable by said bar when shifted to adjust the rollers downwardly to lift the container off the floor and onto the rollers.

3. In a freight container of the character described, a base normall in contact with the floor for supporting sa1d container thereon, adjustable rollers associated with said base and normally positioned inoperatively above the floor level, a shiftable actuating bar mounted on said base, a rotatable control shaft, means on the exterior of the container for rotating said shaft, a worm and nut transmission between the shaft and said bar so as to shift the latter when the shaft is rotated, and cam means 0 erable by said bar when shifted to wedge the rollers toward the floor.

4. In. a freight container of the character described, a base normally in contact with the floor for supporting said container thereon, adjustable rollers associated with said base and normally positioned inoperatively above the floor level, a shiftable actuating bar mounted on said base, a rotatable control shaft, means'on the exterior of the container for rotating said shaft, a worm and nut transmission between the shaft and said bar so as to shift the latter when the shaft is rotated, cam followers on said rollers, cams engageable by said followers, and means operable bysaid bar when shifted to force said cam followers against said cams so as to wedge the rollers toward the floor.

5. In a freight container of the character described, a base norinally in contact with the floor for supporting said container thereon, adjustable rollers associated with said base and normally positioned inoperatively above the floor level, and cam means for wedging said rollers downwardly with respect to the container so as to lift the container onto said rollers; said means comprising a cam follower on each roller, a set of corresponding inclined camming members carried by said base, and means for forcing said cam followers against and along respective camming members. i

, 6. In a'freight container of the character described, a base normally in contact with the floor for supporting said container thereon, adjustable'rollers associated with said base and normally positioned inoperatively above the floor level, a shiftable actuatin bar mounted on said base, and means operable by said bar when shifted to adjust said rollers downwardly so as to lift the container onto them; said means comprising a link between.

said bar and each roller, a cam follower on each roller, an lncllned camming member for each cam follower, and means for shifting said bar to force each cam' follower into engagement with its corresponding camming member.

7. In a freight container of the character described a base normally in contact with the floor for supporting said cohtainer there-' on, a shiftable truss associated with said base, a series of rollers adjustably carried by said truss and normally positioned inoperatively above the floor level, means for shifting said truss, and means operable when said truss is shifted for adjusting the rollers downwardly onto the floor to lift the container onto them.

8. In a freight container of the character described, a base normally in contact with the floor for supporting said container thereon,

' a shiftable truss within the confines of said base and-disposed in a substantially horizon tal plane beneath the base, a series of rollers adjustably carried by said truss and normally accommodated within the base above the floor level, means for shifting said truss in sub-- stantially its own plane, and cam means operable when the truss is shifted for wedging the rollers downwardly onto the floor and lift- ,ing the container onto-the rollers.

9. In a freight container of the character described, a base normally in contact with the floor for supporting said container there on, a shiftable truss within the confines of said base and disposed in a substantially horizontal plane beneath the base, a series of links carried by said truss at spaced portions thereof, a corresponding series-of rollers pivotally associated with said links and normally positioned above the fioor level, means for shifting said truss substantially horizontally, and cam means operable when the truss is shifted for swinging said links and rollers adjustably carried b said truss and normally accommodated within the base above the floor level, means for shifting said truss in substantially its own plane, a cam follower carried by each roller, and camming members engaged by said followers when said truss is shifted so as to wedge the rollers downwardly onto the floor.

11. In a freight container of the character described, a base normally in contact with I the floor for supporting said container thereon, said base including a pair of opposed, parallel channel members, a horizontally shiftble truss mounted within the confines of said base in a substantially horizontal plane, said truss including a pair of axially shiftable bars arranged in said channel'mcmbers, respectively, rollers adjustably' mounted betweensaid bars and normally positioned above the floor level, and means operable when said truss and bars are shifted to ad-' just said rollers downwardly onto the floor.

12. In a freight container of the character described, a base normally in contact with the floor for supporting said container thereon, said base including a pair of opposed, parallel channel members, a horizontally shiftable truss mounted within the confines of said base in a substantially horizontal plane,

said truss including a pair of axially shift- .able bars arranged in said channel members,

respectively, rollers adjustably mounted vbetween said bars and normally osit-ioned above the floor-level, a set of inc ned camming members carried by said channel members, cam followers carried by said rollers,

and means for shifting said truss and bars to force said followers against said camming members so as to wedgethe rollers downwardlyonto the floor. 1

- 13. In a freight container of the character described, a base normally in contact with the floor for supporting said container thereon, said base including a pair of opposed,

parallel channel members, a pair of axially shiftable bars arranged in said channel members, respectively, rollers adjustably mounted between said bars and normally positioned above the floor level between said channel members, and cam means operable when said bars are shifted to wedge'the rollers downwardly onto the floor to lift the container.

14. In a freight container of the character described, a base normally in contact with the floor for supporting said container thereon, said base including a'pair of parallel i so as to lift said container onto said rollers,

the rollers at the center of the base being adjusted downwardly to agreater' degree so as to facilitate lateral turning of the container.

16. In a freight container of the character described, a base normally in contact. with the floor for supporting said container thereon, adjustable rollers associated with sald base and normally positioned inoperatively above the floor level, and cam means for wedging said rollers downwardl with respect to the container so as to li t the container onto said rollers, said cam means wedging the rollers nearer the center of the container into lower operative positions than the rollers farther from the center so as to facilitate lateral turning of the container after it is supported on the rollers.

In witness whereof I have signed this specificetion this 26th day of February, 1931.

JAMES F. MGGINNESS. 

